The invention relates to a process and an installation for transferring products such as waste from a contaminated enclosure into a relatively clean second enclosure, without said transfer bringing about the contamination of the second enclosure. The invention more particularly applies to the nuclear industry, but can also be used in the chemical industry.
Throughout the text the word "product" must be understood in the broadest possible sense and can apply both to loose products in various forms (solids, liquids, powders, etc.) and to objects of any nature.
Conventionally, when it is wished to introduce a product into or extract it from a tight enclosure, use is made of a transportation container, which is engaged on the enclosure by means of a double door transfer device. This well known device makes it possible to successively engage the container on the enclosure, link the container with the enclosure by the opening of a double door to ensure the transfer of the products, the closing of said link by putting back into place the double door and then separating the transportation container, without at any time the surfaces having to come into contact with the external atmosphere being contaminated.
However, when such an installation is used for transferring a product between two enclosures, the contaminated atmosphere of the first enclosure penetrates the container when the latter is linked with the enclosure to receive the product to be transferred. Consequently, when the same container is subsequently connected to a second enclosure for receiving the product, the opening of the double door necessary for introducing the product into the second enclosure has the effect of introducing the contaminated atmosphere in the container into the second enclosure. It is consequently not possible when such an installation is used, to maintain the second enclosure free from the contamination present in the first enclosure.